User blog:JAlbor/GDC 2013: Injustice Goes Mobile and More
Wikia is at the 2013 Game Developers Conference, and we recently got a chance to sit down with some of the NetherRealm Studios developers to discuss and take a look at some of the coming features of Injustice: Gods Among Us. First off, the team announced a mobile version of the game that will release sometime around the full game's April 16th release date. Unfortunately I can't share any more yet, but rest assured the team at NetherRealm is taking their mobile companion very seriously. The team also showed off some of Injustice's incredibly neat environmental features. Much like their previous Mortal Kombat, as battles in Injustice rage across the screen, background components of the level will crumble and collapse. More important, when near certain structures or characters, and with just a quick press of the right-bumper, players can interact with select pieces of their surroundings. From tossing enemies into computer consoles to having a minor DC character launch something at them from the background, every character interacts with the world in unique ways and makes the battlefield into part of the battle. These interactions are, of course, unique to levels as well. In one scene, Batman fights Death Strike through Arkham Asylum. One side of the map allows players to use the plants around Poison Ivy's cell, another uses Mr. Freezes frozen pipes. Even Scarecrow makes a stunning appearance, an homage to Batman: Arkham Asylum. Additionally, NetherRealms brings back some classic scene transitions. All maps have at least three scene transitions available. For example, I watched Aquaman throw Bane through a wall, at which point he landed in a nearby helicopter and crashed to the ground of a complex, now a new segment of the level. These promise to add a lot of flavor to multiplayer and single-player battles. Speaking of Single-player, in addition to the fluid story-structure the team mastered in Mortal Kombat, Injustice features 240 side missions, unique mini-stories of sorts, ten for each character. This side missions include some crazy and unique components as well. "Red Sun" Superman, the Communist Russia variant, appears in these stories. Likewise, the cat Isis has its own side-mission that acts as a 2-D Side-Scroll. And yes, the cat has its own move list: They all consist of Meows. The game features a variety of these strange features. NetherRealms version of a "combo breaker" lets players "Wager" portions of their special meter to win quick bouts, adding a meta-strategy to the game mid-combat. In the main story, there are also short Quick-Time Events that allow players to, if they win, begin the battle with an edge. Some characters can also change up their stances on-the-fly, such as Wonder Woman and Night Wing, adding variability to their particular play styles. All together, Injustice seems absolutely brimming with content. Knowing of their expert work on Mortal Kombat, I expect all of this content to be coming out the seams by the time it launches. Category:Blog posts